Glass laminates can be used as windows and glazing in architectural and vehicle or transportation applications, including automobiles, rolling stock, locomotive and airplanes. Glass laminates can also be used as glass panels in balustrades and stairs, and as decorative panels or covering for walls, columns, elevator cabs, kitchen appliances and other applications. As used herein, a glazing or a laminated glass structure is a transparent, semi-transparent, translucent or opaque part of a window, panel, wall, enclosure, cover, sign or other structure. Common types of glazing that are used in appliance, architectural and vehicle applications include clear and tinted laminated glass structures.
Conventional automotive glazing constructions may consist of two plies of 2 mm soda lime glass (heat treated or annealed) with a polyvinyl butyral PVB interlayer. These laminate constructions have certain advantages, including, low cost, and a sufficient impact resistance for automotive and other applications. However, because of their limited impact resistance, these laminates usually have a poor behavior and a higher probability of breakage when getting struck by roadside stones, vandals and other impacts.
In many vehicle applications, fuel economy is a function of vehicle weight. It is desirable, therefore, to reduce the weight of glazings for such applications without compromising their strength and sound-attenuating properties. In view of the foregoing, thinner, economical glazings or glass laminates that possess or exceed the durability, sound-damping and breakage performance properties associated with thicker, heavier glazings are desirable.